The Department of Physiology at Amsterdam UMC studies (patho)mechanisms of the cardiovascular system. In our department, a series of group leaders (PI’s, Principal Investigators) supervises different, but closely related research lines. Within these teams, we train a large number of undergraduate- and PhD students and post-docs. In addition, a group of skilled technicians supports our research.
Key expertise of the department lies in the functional studies on (cardio)myocytes and microvascular (lung) endothelial cells. We use in vitro and in vivo models, iPS-derived cardiomyoctes and -endothelial cells and invest in advanced 3D models, such as microvessels-on-chip and engineered heart tissue.
Research Focus
Principal investigators
click on PI for more details and contact information
Diastolic heart failure
To unravel pathophysiological mechanisms underlying diastolic dysfunction, in vivo clinical studies are combined with cellular studies in human cardiac preparations.
Circulation and vasculature
Our research on blood vessels focuses on (i) the molecular mechanisms that control vascular permeability and (ii) the biomechanics that drive vascular function and remodeling, at the level of arteries, arterioles and veins as well as the level of endothelial and smooth muscle cells
Atrial fibrillation
Our studies focus on normalization of protein homeostasis to reverse structural remodeling and restore cardiomyocyte function in AF.
Skeletal muscle myopathies and atrophy
The unifying theme of our research concerns the regulatory and pathogenic role of myofilament proteins in muscle contraction, with special focus on the diaphragm.
Cardiovascular ageing
The main focus of the research in the lab is ageing of the cardiovascular system. This is the main risk factor for cardiovascular disease and we are interested in the role of so-called non-coding RNA in this process.
Impairment of organ perfusion in metabolic disease
Impaired organ perfusion in obesity and type 2 diabetes, and to translate this knowledge into prevention of type 2 diabetes and associated vital organ failure.
Heart failure
Molecular changes that underlie cardiac muscle function, hypertrophy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Muscle energetics
This research focuses on striated muscle performance in health and disease and on how to restore muscle function in patients that experience muscle weakness. More specifically, this research focusses on how variants in genes encoding the sarcomere – the smallest contractile unit in striated muscle - affect muscle function and energetics.
Mechanotransduction in muscle
The Tyler lab is focused on understanding the cellular mechanisms that control muscle adaptation, with a specific focus on the cell nucleus. This research line integrates cell biology, bioengineering and whole-animal physiology approaches to study the role that nuclear mechanotransduction plays in both skeletal and cardiac muscle adaptation and aging.
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare but progressive fatal disease characterized by abnormal pulmonary vascular remodelling and right ventricular failure. This research line focuses on moleular mechanisms to identify potential drug targets as well as optimal compounds for treatment, and also studies the mechanisms underlying high female predominance in pulmonary hypertension to allow the development of sex-specific therapies
Affiliated Institutions
